MHS boys, girls set for cross country sectionals

 

The Maricopa High School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams will compete in the sectional championships Saturday in Marana with high hopes of advancing to the state finals.

The races will be held at Marana High School, with the boys’ race beginning at 8:10 a.m. and the girls’ at 9.

Both teams reached the state level a year ago, the boys for the fourth straight year and the girls in a bit of a surprise. Both are looking for bigger things this time around, even though they will be competing in Division II for the first time.

“We have everyone intact, seven boys and seven girls,” said head girls coach Ronnie Buchanan. “We’ve had a great couple of weeks of practice. It seems like everyone is not sick now. We’re a cohesive group now and we’re ready to go.

The boys finished in the top four in last year’s sectional even without top runner Chris Lessard, who was injured. Although he battled illness a few weeks ago, he seems ready to challenge for the top spot at sectionals and lead a team which could well finish among the top three.

Boys’ head coach Duane Anderson says his team should have a good shot at a top three finish, and maybe better. “We have an outside chance at second,” Anderson said, adding Tucson Canyon del Oro should be the top team in the state with Tucson Ironwood Ridge a team his squad might catch if it has a good day. “Everything will have to be perfect; we’ll have to have a good day.

The Rams finished fourth in the sectional a year ago, but without Lessard who had a foot injury. This time around he is healthy and ready to complete his senior year with a strong effort at sectionals and at state.

***ADVERTISEMENT***On Oct. 8 MHS had a chance to run on the sectional course, but Lessard was sick, and far off his normal pace. Although he led for the first mile he faded to 13^th at the end. He wasn’t the only one who was ill at the time, limiting the Rams’ showing. Matt Taylor placed 18^th and Gibran Aguilar 36^th, but Anderson looks for better things from just about all his runners Saturday.

The girls, on the other hand, did quite well on the sectional course. All seven runners posted personal records, led by Jessica Beach, who was 21^st overall and her sister Beth, who placed 27^th.

The two teams must place in the top half of the team scoring to advance to the state championships, which will be run at the Cave Creek Golf Course on Nov. 5.